Novigrad

Novigrad or Cittanova ( in Italian) is a small, picturesque town located at the north-west shore of Istrian Peninsula, just about 25 km away from Slovenian border and about 15 km from Porec, Umag or Buje – another places in Istria.

Town of Novigrad includes 5 different areas : Antenal, Bužinija, Dajla, Mareda and Novigrad. Novigrad is positioned on a small limestone peninsula on which the old town centre is built, surrounded by partially preserved mediaeval walls and towers with numerous houses built in period between 15th and 18th centuries.

The parish church of St. Pelagus is structured as Romanesque basilica with some Baroque add on’s, where Romanesque crypt lies underneath its sanctuary. The church has Baroque altars. A three-nave church of Sveta Agata with three semicircular apses is situated on the Novigrad’s cemetery. Further north of Novigrad, there is palace of Carlo Riga – old country mansion from 1760’s, built as combination of Venetian and Central European Baroque style. It currently contains a display of ancient tombstones and Byzantine fragments too.

Novigrad used to be a small fishing village, before it became tourist place where the beginning of tourist trade started at the end of the 19th century, when most of other Istrian and Kvarner Gulf places got their tourist Renaissance. Rivarella is popular Novigrad’s promenade, that stretches along coast.

The port of Novigrad is protected from all winds by breakwater port. For sailors, Novigrad has it’s own marina with capacity of 86 berths.

Novigrad has numerous small restaurants and cafe – bars. Most popular are Damir and Ornela, Konoba Cok and Mandrac Restaurant. among cafes and bars, popular are Kavana Ogledala, Vitriol and Konoba Mura. Most of them has terraces that are above the sea with views over to Novigrad’s sunsets.

Novigrad can be reached by bus from Zagreb and Pula, as well as from neighboring places, like Porec. Bus station is on 10 min walk from Novigrad’s town centre – a pleasant walk along Rivarella promenade.